Tips for Summer Vaginal Health

Summer is an amazing season to enjoy pool parties and hang out with your friends. But maintaining vaginal health is a critical issue during the summer months when it comes to feminine health. During summers, some women are more likely to experience feminine health issues than others. Summer brings a notable rise in temperature, with which the environment becomes hot and humid. A damp and hot environment favors the growth of certain infections on your skin. Warmer weather leads to excessive sweating. As a result, your skin becomes wet and moist. Yeast infections thrive in such wet and moist conditions. Moreover, the occurrence of bacterial urinary tract infections also increases during summer. Here are some tips that will help to maintain your vaginal health. 

Breathable Clothing

It is recommended to choose breathable fabric for your pants, jeans, skirts, underwear, etc. Carefully choose a fabric, especially for your underwear, that can absorb moisture and keep your vagina dry. For this purpose, cotton is 100% durable. In addition, cotton is a smooth fabric that can absorb sweat, heat, and moisture, keeping you dry and comfortable. 

Cotton is a breathable fabric which means it allows the air to pass through it. Exposure to air is necessary to maintain your vaginal health and be free from infections. In addition, cotton underwear can avoid irritation and discomfort caused by vaginal infections. Therefore, it is suggested to opt for cotton underwear or at least underwear with cotton lining. 

On the other hand, the synthetic fabric does not absorb moisture, keeps your skin damp and moist, thus encourages the overgrowth of yeast. As a result, underwear made with synthetic fabrics may also cause allergies. 

Comfortable Clothing

Loose clothing is one of the best things you can do for your summer vaginal health. Tight clothes trap moisture around your vulva (the exterior of the female genitals) and create an area for bacteria and yeast to cause urinary tract infections (UTIs). Wear loose pants, skirts, jeans, and underwear to keep yourself comfortable. Loose clothes filter air, keep your private parts dry and improve your summer vaginal health. 

Change Wet Clothes Immediately

Pool parties are common during summers. Avoid sitting in wet swimsuits or bathing suits for long periods. Wet swimsuits are the most common cause of vaginal infections. Your skin is prone to a wet environment that favors the overgrowth of yeast and bacteria, causing feminine health issues. Do not sit for long periods in sweaty gym clothes. Change your wet or sweaty clothes right away to keep your vagina dry and healthy. 

Avoid Sitting for Hours

When it is hot outside, avoid sitting for prolonged hours. Sitting for hours in such hot weather will increase sweating in your vulva. It becomes moist and favors microbial growth. Try to move around or walk a little bit every one to two hours to maintain your vaginal health. Prolonged hours of sitting do not allow air movement, trap heat, and create a sweaty environment. Moving or walking will allow air to pass, absorb moisture, and keep your vagina dry. 

Sleep Without Underwear

If you are more likely to be prone to vaginal infections, avoid wearing underwear while sleeping, especially in the summer. Sleeping without underwear is a perfect option to allow your genital parts to breathe. It can help alleviate excessive sweating. Even wearing breathable underwear while sleeping is not beneficial for your vaginal health. Opting out of underwear while sleeping allows you optimum breathability. Sometimes it is not comfortable for someone to sleep without underwear. So, cotton underwear is a perfect choice for such people. 

Avoid Douching and Intense Cleaning

The vagina is naturally a self-cleaning organ. Therefore, it does not require intense cleaning with soap or body wash. A gentle wash with water is enough for keeping your vagina clean. Using soap can irritate and disturb the pH of the vagina. Make sure to use mild soap or body wash if it is necessary. Carefully apply soap around the vagina. Make sure it does not go inside the vagina. If you feel any irritation or discomfort, immediately rinse with water. 

Naturally, your vagina has certain bacteria that play a role in maintaining the health of your vagina by adjusting pH and preventing infections. Intense vaginal cleaning like douching disrupts the balance of these bacteria by removing some of these healthy vaginal bacteria, allowing your vagina to become more prone to vaginal infections. 

Avoid Scented and Greasy Products

Avoid using scented and petroleum-based products around the vulva. Scented products contain harsh chemicals. Exposure to these harsh chemicals may cause itchiness and rashes around your vagina. Opt for fragrance-free products for bathing and washing clothes. Greasy products, such as suntan oils, create a moist environment and can cause vaginal infections. The vagina is a self-cleaning organ and does not require additional products for its hygiene. Be careful while choosing these products. 

Stay Hydrated

Summers are hot and dry; drink more water to stay hydrated. Drinking plenty of water and juices is beneficial for you as well as for your vaginal health. It reduces the risk of urinary tract infections by removing harmful bacteria by excessive urination.

Author: Dan Jackowiak, Nc, HHP, is the Founder of Yeast Infection Advisor. Dan is a Holistic Healthcare Practitioner and Nutritional Consultant that personally suffered from yeast and bad bacterial overgrowth of the gut for most of his life. The information on his website is a combination of his own nutrition and holistic training, life experiences, collaboration with fellow experts on his team, and over 18 years of studying medical research on candida yeast infections of all types, which has allowed him to take his life and health back and help others overcome yeast-related health problems and digestive problems of all kinds.